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8 Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer

“The next we hear of the Cape Fear River is through Wheel-
er’s History of North Carolina (extracted from the London
Magazine), giving an account of the most violent equinoctial
storm which had ever occurred along the coast, forcing open an
entrance into the river at a point known as the ‘Haul-over,’ now
known as the New Inlet. This storm commenced on the 20th
of September, 1761, and lasted four days.

“This inlet, from long neglect, has become formidable, de-
tracting a large portion. of the river water from its legitimate
outlet, to the great detriment of the river and lower harbor.

“In 1775, a map of the Cape Fear River, more accurate in
its details than the two first alluded to, was published in Lon-
don, which laid down the New Inlet, but did not materially
vary the harbor, outlet, or draught of water upon the bar, or the
channel of the river up to the town of Wilmington.

“At a meeting of the Safety Committee of Wilmington, held
on the 20th of November, 1775, John Ancrum presiding, the
following preamble and resolutions were passed:

“*The committee, taking into consideration the damage with which
the inhabitants of the Cape Fear River are threatened by the King’s
ships now in the harbor, and the open and avowed contempt and viola-
tion of justice in the conduct of Governor Martin, who, with the assist-
ance of said ships, is endeavoring to carry off the artillery, the prop-
erty of this province, and the gift of his late Majesty of blessed mem-
ory, for our protection from foreign invasion, have

“ ‘Resolved, That Messrs. John Forster, William Wilkinson, and John
Slingsby, or any one of them, be empowered to procure necessary ves-
sels, boats, and chains, to sink in such part of the channel as they or
any of them may think proper, to agree for the purchase of such boats
and other materials as may be wanted, and to have them valued, that
the owners may be reimbursed by the public. And it is further ordered,
that the said John Forster & Co. do consult the committee of Brunswick
on this measure and request their concurrence.’

“A knowledge of the men of that period, with the boisterous
circumstances which surrounded them, is sufficient evidence

that this order was implicitly obeyed and effectually executed,
no report of their action being required or expected.

“Tradition assures us that these obstacles were placed across
the channel at Big Island. We therefore feel justified in say-
ing that the channel, as laid down by all previous maps, was,
at that time and place, obstructed agreeably to the order, as
subsequent events would seem to imply. From time to time,
logs, stumps, and other drift matter brought down by freshets

 

Exploration and Settlement 9

lodged against the obstructions, backing up nearly to the nar-
rows and forming what is known as the flats or shoal of logs,
which, as it increased, gradually forced the water through an
opening on the west side of Big Island, and in course of time
scoured out a channel sufficient to accommodate the commerce
of the port, and so remained until the year 1826.

“In the year 1797-8, a survey and map of the Cape Fear
River, its harbors and outlets, was made by Joshua Potts. At
this time, thirty-seven years after the breaking out of New In-
let, we find very little alteration in the harbor or outlet—the
bar representing 20 feet of water (supposed at mean low tide),
while the channels of the river up to Wilmington had under-
gone material change, and very much depreciated.”

A report of the same committee, made four years earlier
than the one just quoted, refers to the Potts survey, and says:

“Older charts than this exhibit a greater draught of water,
particulars of which, however, are not accurately remembered
by your committee. Many old citizens now living remember
to have seen at our wharves vessels drawing 15 to 18 feet of
water. But about the year 1820, as the depth of water in-
creased on New Inlet, in like proportion it diminished on the
Main Bar, maintaining upon both the aggregate of about 25
feet. The late Capt. Thomas N. Gautier, who was a merchant
of this place during the period of time included between the
years 1790 and 1810, told one of your committee that during
that period, among many others, he had loaded one ship to 30
feet draught, which proceeded down the river to sea, on her
voyage to London, without difficulty or interruption. These
facts in the history of the past are conclusive evidence, in the
minds of your committee, that the true and real cause of the
present alarming condition of the navigation of our bars and
river is to be found in the existence of the New Inlet, and that
alone.”

A report of Alexander Strauss to the mayor and aldermen of
Wilmington, under date of March 6, 1870, says:

“The bar in the Old Ship Channel has shoaled 214 feet
in the last five years, and therefore any procrastination in the
work will be injurious to our commerce, as I believe it can
be shown that year by year since 1840 the obstruction has in-
creased, and unless speedy action is taken it will result in the
total destruction of our harbor. I base my opinion on data
Sained from different surveys made from the year 1733 to

 

*

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